The Facts... without the Lecture
B4uDecide.ie is closing down at the end of May 2024.
Alternative sources of relationships and sexuality information and resources:
- For 16-25 year olds: SpunOut.ie is an information provision website, including relationships and sexuality issues.
- For 17+ year olds: Sexualwellbeing.ie is the HSE website that provides information and resources on a wide range of information such as consent, contraception, sexual transmitted infections, vaccinations and unplanned pregnancy
- For parents: The HSE’s ‘Making the ‘Big Talk’ many small talks’ series of booklets to help parents and children talk about relationships and sexuality is available online, and to order free of charge from healthpromotion.ie. HSE funded RSE workshops are available at npc.ie and ifpa.ie
- For teachers: Junior Cycle SPHE Resources are available to support the new 2023 SPHE specification , including the Relationship and Sexuality strand.
- For youthworkers: HSE funded training on relationship and sexuality issues is available at REAL U | Foroige and Tailored Training Courses – National Youth Council of Ireland
Your Decision
Most young people know that they are not ready to have sex at a young age. There are very good reasons Why it’s Better to Wait until you’re older.
Although you will not be at the stage of making decisions about sex for quite a while, your friends may be talking about sex, so it’s good to know what the Evidence says.
Having sex for the first time is a big decision. It’s not something that should “just happen” because everyone else was doing it or because you got carried away. For advice visit the Decision Making section.
If you feel under pressure to have sex, from your friends or from your boyfriend or girlfriend, you may find our skills and words for Saying No useful.
If you, or someone you know has had sex at an early age, remember that just because you had sex once, does not mean that you need to keep having sex. You can stop and wait until the time is right for you.
The Age of Consent for sexual intercourse for heterosexual and homosexual sex is 17 for boys and girls.